Missing student loan payments can hurt your credit so it’s best to have a strategy in place to tackle Sallie Mae. Here are some necessary tools you should have to make your life of adulting a bit easier.

While you may be filled with anticipation to dive head on into your career phase, or already have a couple of years of work experience under your belt, if you’re like most Americans, student loan payments inevitably loom.

Regardless how much student debt you’re in, there are countless ways to make timely loan payments without completely sacrificing your lifestyle. Below we’ve laid out four steps that will help you pay off those loans while still living your best life.